Electrical signaling device.



E. E. SALISBURY.

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17. I914. 1,175,086. Patented Mar.14,191(5.

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ELECTRICAL SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. I7. 1914- r 1,175,086. Patented Mar. 14,1916.

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EDGAR E. SALISBURY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRICAL SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

Application filed August 17, 1914. Serial No. 857,020.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR E. SALISBURY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electrical Signaling Devices, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

The invention relates to electrical signaling devices.

In factories and other places, it is desirable to provide a means for indicating that an officer, patrolman or other employee, whose whereabouts is unknown, is wanted at the office, or is Wanted to call up the ofiice on the nearest telephone or report station, and it is one of the objects of this invention to provide an electrical signaling device for this purpose, to indicate the particular person wanted.

The invention further designs to provide an electric signaling device, in which it is only necessary to push a button at the office or other place, to indicate at some remote point that the particular person is wanted at the oflice or other place, or to report by telephone.

The invention further designs to provide an electric signaling device comprising a signaling circuit, a controlling circuit for said signaling circuit, clock operated means for interrupting said controlling circuit, clock operated means for controlling the duration of operation of said interrupting means, and means for selectively operating said interrupting controlling means.

The invention further designs to provide an electric signaling device, in which different signals may be intermittently indicated 011 each of a plurality of indicating devices remotely located.

The invention further designs to provide an electrical signaling device having a plurality of push buttons in the signaling circuits, which are automatically restored to their normal, inoperative positions, by the actuations of buttons other than the one in depressed position.

The invention further designs to provide a signaling system comprising a signaling circuit, a plurality of signaling devices in said circuit, a circuit for controlling the operation of said signaling devices, comprising a plurality of signal-operating means,

and means for closing the circuit through each of said signal-operating means respectively.

The invention further designs to provide a signaling device comprising a main electrical ircuit, mechanically operated means for interrupting said circuit at regular intervals, and a plurality of means for varying the period of time during which said cir cuit-interrupting means is operative, any one of which may be cut into the main cir cuit, and a signaling circuit controlled by said electrical circuit.

The invention further designs to provide a new and improved form of signaling device.

The invention consists in the several features of construction hereinafter set forth, and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the device embodying the features of this invention, showing it connected up to a clock, the door of the clock casing being shown in open position, and the clock being mounted on said door. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top view of the clock works and portions of the mechanism of the system connected thereto. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view of the push button mechanism. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the push button mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the clock casing, showing some of the push buttons. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the circuit connections.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 8 indicates a clock case of ordinary construction, upon the hinged door 9 of which a clock mechanism 10 is mounted. The clock mechanism is of ordinary construction, with the exception that the second hand shaft or spindle 11 is extended outwardly from the frame 12, to have mounted fast thereon disks 13 which are provided with a series of spaced grooves 14 cut through their peripheries, and that the spindle 15 for the escapement wheel is extended outwardly from the clock frame a sufficient distance to have mounted fast thereon a toothed wheel 16. A flexible contact member 53, hereinafter described, is designed to engage and be operated by said wheel 16 to move into and out of engagement with a fixed contact, both of said contacts being in a controlling circuit and forming a means for interrupting said circuit at regular intervals. Means are also provided for controlling the operation of the interrupting means and this comprises the disks 13 together with flexible contacts 17 and their fixed contact 57. The rotation of the disks 13 by the spindle 11 causes the movement of the contacts 17 and whenever they enter one of the grooves it they contact with, their respective fixed contacts 57. The number of grooves or depressions in the disks and the length of these depressions vary for each dish so that each dish will send out a different signal from any other because the period of time during which the fixed contact 57 and the contact 1'!" are in engagement with each other depends upcn the length of the depression in tae disk and the recurrence of this period of time upon the number of depressions in the disks. Means, hereinafter described, are provided for selectively controlling the operation of said interrupting means.

The movable contacts 17 are mounted on an insulating iloclr 18 secured to the clock frame 12, and are each adapted to engage the respective disks 13 with which they are in alinement. Circuit wires 19 are connected respectively to the contact brushes or fingers 17, have their opposite ends connected to binding posts 20 which are mounted on an insulating plate 21 mounted upon the clock frame.

The means for selectively controlling the operation of the interrupting-controllingmeans comprises a push button frame which extends through the door 9 of the clock case, adjacent the clock m chanism, and is provided with a plurality of push buttons 23,-one for each dish 13, with which it is connected in circuit by conductors Qi., and also a releasing push button 25 for restoring any one of the pushed in buttons to its normal position. Each button projects through an opening 26 in the front portion of the frame 22, and the rear reduced end portions 27 of each button extends through an opening 28 provided in the rear portion 29 of the frame The reduction of the diameter of the rear portion of each button forms a shoulder 30, and a coiled spring 81 surrounds the reduced portion, and is interposed between the shoulder 30 and the rear portion 29 of the push button frame, to yieldingly hold each button in its outer position, in which it forms an individual, normally open switch.

Each button has a stop shoulder 3:2 formed on its forward portion, to abut against the front portion 33 of the button frame, and limit the outward movement of said button.

The portion-of each button between the shoulders 30 and 32, is provided with annular, inclined grooves, to form annular saw teeth 3-1 which are engaged by a yielding locking pawl 35 which extends transversely beneath all of the buttons, and which is pivoted at its extremities to the sides of the frame 22, and which is yieldingly held in position by a fiat spring 36 fastened to the rear portion of the frame, and bearing against the pawl, to hold its upper edge against the inclined grooves of the buttons.

Tie saw teeth portions of each of the buttons are inclined radially outwardly, and toward the front portion of the clock, so that when the buttons are pushed inwardly against the action of the spring 3]., the pawl will be pressed downwardly and will snap over the next tooth and into the groove thereof, and hold the button in its inner position until released by an inward movement of one of the other buttons. This release is caused by the teeth of one of the other buttons being pressed inwardly, forcing the pawl downwardly and out of the groove of the button previously held. Thus only one button can be operated at a time to close the controlling circuit.

The releasing push button is provided with only one groove and saw tooth 347 which is in transverse alinement with the inner teeth of the other buttons, so that when pressed inwardly it will swing the pawl downwardly to permit the release by the spring 31 of any of the other buttons which may be held in engagement by the pawl, but will not itself be held by the pawl.

The upper rear portion of the frame 22 is provided with an insulating block 3'7, which has a plurality of pairs of contact fingers 38 and 39 extending therethrough. These fingers extend forwardly above the push buttons 23, and the fingers 89 which are adapt ed to normally contact with the fingers 38 w ien disengaged, extend forwardly a greater distance than the fingers 38, and are horizontally curved into llilii-Cll'CUlfll' poi--- tions to form pin spaces 410 which are entered by the push button pins ll when the buttons are pushed inwardly. The push button pins l1 project upwardly from the buttons .23, and engage the outer straight portions $2 of the ends of the contact lingers E39, and hold them out of engagement with the contacts 38 when the buttons are in their outer position, wiich construction forms a plurality of normally open switches controlledby the operation of the push buttons. 11011 the buttons 23 are pushed inwa dly, the pins 41. will enter the half-circular spaces, and permit the fingers 39 to more inwardly into contact with the finger" 38, and form an electrical connection therebetween.

The upper portion of the button frame Zia is provided with a plurality of elongated slots 21 disposed aojacent the button pins 40 respectively, and into which the projecting portions 40 of said pins slidably extend, to serve as guides to hold the pins in alinement with the contact fingers 38 and 3E).

The front portion of the push button frame above the buttons, has mounted there on a plate 13 bearing numbers to designate the different buttons, and which numbers correspond with thenumber of depressions or the groups of depressions or grooves of the different disks 13. The fingers or contacts 39 are electrically connected by conductors 24 to the binding posts 20, and a conductor 414 is connected to a conductor 15, to which each of the conductors 38 are connected. The conductor 4a is connected to a binding post 46, and a conductor d7 leads from the binding post 6 to an electro-magnet 48 which is connected to a battery 49 by a conductor 50, and a conductor 51 leads from the battery 49 to a post 54, which is disposed adjacent the toothed wheel 16 and carries a vibrating contact 53. The contact 53 is adapted to engage a fixed contact 52, which is electrically connected with a. conductor 55, which, in turn, is connected to a conductor 56 from which a plurality of fixed contacts 57 are taken off, the ends of which are disposed adjacent each of the yielding contacts 17, which are actuated by the disks 13, and each of the contacts 17, as previously pointed out, is connected through conductors 19 to binding posts 20, and to which the conductors 24 are likewise connected at one of their ends, and are also connected to the contacts 39 at their other ends.

The magnet or relay &8 is adapted to control the signaling circuit, which comprises a conductor 58 and a plurality of indicating devices 59 and battery 60, which circuit is normally open, except when the magnet 43 is energized, and pulls down the armature 61, to close the circuit through the armature and the conductors 58.

The interrupting means comprising the toothed wheel 16 being mounted on the spindle 15 which carries the escapement mechanism for the clock, will be continuously operated by the clock, and will produce a continuous make and break at reguar intervals between the fixed contact 52 and the yielding contact 53, which will complete the circuit through the battery 19 on the electro-magnet 18 to energize the magnet to close the switch in the indicating circuit at stated intervals, but the duration of operation of the make and break will at all times be under the control of each or any one of the contacts 17 operated by the disks 13, which may be put into the circuit by the closing of any of the pairs of contacts 38 and 39, by the operation of any of the push buttons. The operation of the indicating circuit will depend upon the length of time any of the push buttons remain in, to close their respective switches, the contact 53 and the toothed wheel 16 producing signals at regular intervals, by the energization of the magnet 48. and the manner in which the signals are given being controlled by the duration of the make and break between the fixed contacts 57 and the contacts 17 under the control of the disks.

The operation of the device is as follows: The operator at the oftice, desiring to get into communication with a party in another building or part of the factory, presses in the push button or push buttons which will )roduce a certain number of signals, making up the partys call number. For instance, the operator pushes in button No. This closes the circuit through contacts 38 and 39, the circuit being battery 49, conductor 51, post 5i, contact 53, contact 52, conductors 55 and 55, contact 57, contact 17, conductor 24;, contacts 38 and 39 for button No. 5, conductor 1 1, relay d8, conductor 50, battery 49. This energizes the magnet 48 which attracts its armature 61 and closes the alarm circuit through the conductors 58. But this condition only keeps up for a short period of time, for the toothed wheel 16 operated by the escapement, makes and breaks the circuit through the contacts 52 and at regular intervals, and the duration of this regular making and breaking in the main circuit, to produce the signals, is varied so as to produce a predetermined number of signals at predetermined intervals by the making and breaking of the circuit through the contacts 57 and 17, by the actuation of the disk 13. As each of the disks 13, as previously pointed out, are provided with spaced grooves of different numbers and lengths, there will be a different signal produced by the establishment of the circuit through each of the disks, by pushing in different push buttons. and it is obvious that any number of different signals may be produced by increasing the number of push button circuits. and a corresponding increase in the number of disks, and the varying of the peripheral contour of each disk, to produce different groups of signals.

The invention thus exemplifies a signaling device comprising a signaling circuit and a circuit for controlling the operation of the signaling circuit, said controlling circuit having a main make and break which is actuated at regular intervals by the escape ment wheel of the clock mechanism. said circuit also having a plurality of branch circuits. each with a make and break which determines the period during which the main make and break will actuate the sig nals, and the manner in which the signals are given by causing the actuation of predeterm ned groups of signals.

The invention is not to be restricted to the details of construction herein set forth, but ma be varied, so as to be within the scope of the appended claims.

That I claim as my invention is:

1. An electrical signaling system comprising an indicating circuit, a controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, means for continuously and regularly interrupting said controlling circuit, a plurality of circuitclosers for automatically controlling the duration of effective operation of said interrupting means, and means for selectively controlling the operation of said circuitclosers.

2. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of an indicating circuit, a plurality of indicating devices in said circuit, a controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, means for continuously interrupting said controlling circuit, means for controlling the duration of effective operation of said interrupting means including a plurality of disks having circuit-closing depressions in their periphery, said disks being provided with depressions of varying number and length, and means for selectively controllingthe operation of said interrupting-controlling means.

3. The combination, with a clock, including a plurality of shafts, of an electrical signaling system comprising an indicating circuit, a plurality of indicating devices in said circuit, a controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, an interrupter operated by one of said shafts for interrupting said controlling circuit, means operated by another of said shafts for controlling the duration of effective operation of said interrupter, and. means for selectively controlling the operation of said interrupter-controlling means.

at. The combination, with a clock including a plurality of shafts, of an electrical signaling system comprising an indicating circuit, a plurality of indicating devices in said circuit, a controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, and interrupter operated by one of said shafts for continuously interrupting said controlling circuit, means operated by another of said shafts for controlling the duration-of effective operation of said interrupter including a. plurality of disks having a plurality of circuit-closing depressions in their periphery, said disks being provided with depressions of varying number and length, and means for 'selectively controlling the operation of said i11- terrupting-controlling means.

5. An electrical signaling system comprising an indicating circuit, a plurality of indicating devices in said circuit, a. controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, means for continuously interrupting said controlling circuit, means for controlling the duration of effective operation of said interrupting means including a plurality of circuit-closing disks and flexible contacts in engagement therewith, said disks being provided with a plurality of depressions of varying length and number whereby the circuit through the interrupter will be closed when the flexible contacts are in said depressions according to the lengths and number of said depressions, and means for selectively controlling the operation of said interrupting controlling means.

6. In an electrical signaling system, the combination of an indicating circuit, a plurality of indicating devices in said circuit, a controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, a continuously operating interrupter in said controlling circuit, a plurality of circuit closing devices operable to control the number of effective impulses sent out by the interrupter and the grouping of these impulses to produce a signal, each of said controlling circuit-closing devices being adapted to cause the interrupter to execute a separate signal.

7. In an electrical signaling system, the combination, with an indicating circuit, of a controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, an interrupter for interrupting said controlling circuit at regular equal intervals, and a plurality of circuit closing devices operable to'control the number of effective impulses of the same kind sent out by the interrupter and the grouping of these impulses to produce a signal, each of said controlling circuit closing devices being adapted to cause the interrupter to execute a separate signal.

8. In an electrical signaling system, the combination, with an indicating circuit, of a controlling circuit for said indicating circuit, means for interrupting said controlling circuit, means for controlling the duration of effective operation of said. interrupting means including a plurality of disks having circuit-closing depressions in their periphery, said disks being provided with depressions of varying lengths, and means for controlling the operation of said interrupting controlling means.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDGAR E. SALISBURY.

\Vitnesses SrMnoN W. KING, WM. J. CLARKE,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

